Concrete burial-vault.



J. ELMORE & C. W. JOY.

CONCRETE BURIAL VAULT. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20; 1911.

1,270,132. Patented June 18, 1918.

2 SHEETS--SHEET Fga 1| ll? 11 .15 6 17 ll 16 Fia 5 li INVENTORIS WITNESS Jamea Elmore Charles/I/Joa A-rwRNEY J. ,ELMORE & C. W. JOY.

CONCRETE BURIAL VAULT.

APPLICATION" FILED OCT. 20, 1912.

1,270, 1 32. Patented June 18, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ti .257- F1.- 4.

INVENTORS WITNESS v Jamqs Elmore 6 Chmles [IQ/0y.

ATTORNEY JAMES ELMORE AND CHARLES W. JOY, OF MILLER, NEBRASKA.

CONCRETE BURIAL-VAULT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 18, 1918.

Application filed October 20, 1917. Serial No. 197,727.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, .TAMns ELMoRn and CHARLES W. JOY, citizens of the United States, residing at Miller, in the county of Buflalo and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Concrete Burial-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to graves or burial vaults, and the primary object of the duce two separate but interengaging sections, the top of the device being also con structed of a plurality of sections, so that the same may be arranged upon the main sections after the casket has been arranged in the vault, the said top sections having interengaging means eo-acting with each other and with the upper edges of the main sections.

It is a still further object of the invention to produce a reinforced plastic vault comprising essentially two sections having interengaging elements upon their confronting ends, to provide a removable top for the vault also constructed of a plurality of slabs or sections, to arrange an arch member at the confronting or joint ends of the sections designed to assist in supporting the slabs constituting the top of the device.

It is a still further object of the invention to produce a reinforced plastic vault constructed in sections, so that the same may be easily handled for transportation, readily set up to provide the complete vault, and to further produce a structure of this character, which shall be of a simple nature, comparatively cheap to manufacture. and strong and efficient for the purpose devised.

With the foregoing objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following description and fall ing within thescope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vault constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an approximately central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking toward the open end of one of the sections.

Fig. 4 is a similar View looking toward the open end of the other section.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, the central arch and the top slabs being removed.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View approximately on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view looking toward the inner face of one of the side members of the top.

Fig. 8 is a similar view looking toward the inner face of the central top slab.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the removable arch.

The vault is broadly indicated by the numeral 10, the same being constructed of plastic slabs which are preferably reinforced, comprising the flat base 11, sides 12, ends 13 and a sectional top. The ends 13 project above the sides and are inclined or beveled inwardly, in an upward direction from their point of engagement with the sides, the central portion of the ends at the top thereof, being, however, straight, as indicated by the numeral 14. The contacting sides or edges of all of the plates comprising the construction are provided with inter-engaging tongues and grooves, and before the slabs are assembled a suitable adhesive substance is arranged between the said tongues and grooves so that the slabs will be effectively connected. If desired, additional securing means may be employed, as for instance, certain of the slabs may, in addition to the said tongues and grooves, be provided with dowels (not shown) which enter openings in the adjacent or confrontin" slabs.

liy constructing the vault of slabs, as above described, it will be noted that the device may be readily transported or easily conveyed by a single hand, and likewise that the said slabs may be set up or associated by a single hand. As it is one of the objects of the invention to provide for the lightness of the structure, so that the same may be easily handled and as clearly illustrated by the drawings, the vault 10 comprises essentially two sections, and these s ctions, for dis neled, longitudinally upon its outer edge providing an extending tongue 17. The

sides, in a line with the straight shoulder 18 providing the terminal of the tongue'and' the end of the slab upon the upper surface thereof are grooved or channeled, or otherwise formed with a continuous depression 20' upon the outer corners thereof, the

straight surface at the end proper of the said sides providinga tongue 21. Thebase, at the outer end of the section 16 is formed with a transverse depression at its lower corner, providing both a tongue 22 and a depression 23, the said tongue being de-- signed to overlap the tongue '17 of the section 15 and to be received within the depression provided by the said tongue. The sides 12, upon their outer corners are provided with reduced tongues 2 1 which extend be yond the end of the base of the said section and these tongues are designed to be received in the grooves at the outer corners of the sides of the section 15, while the depressions inward of the tongues 24 of the sides of the said member 16 receive the tongues upon the inner corners of the sides of the member 15. By this arrangement, it will be noted that the sections 15 and 16 may be readily and conveniently associated, it being understood that some suitable plastic cement is employed between the said tongues and grooves for holding the said sections connected. The sides 12 of both the sections 15 and 16 at the confronting ends thereof, are provided with depressions 25 entering from the upper edges thereof, and these depressions are designed to provide seats for the straight ends 26 of an arch 27. The arch is shaped to correspond with the shape of the upper edges of the ends 13 of the vault, thesaid arch being preferably con structed of some suitable reinforced plastic material and the same is retained in the seats provided by the depressions 25 preferably by some suitable plastic cement, but, of course, other means may be employed for securing the device to the vault.

The top for the vault is also constructed of sections, each of the slabs, constituting said top, being of a length equaling the length of the sections upon which the top is arranged, each of the said top sections com-' prising what I will term side slabs 28 which are designed to rest upon the inclined surface of the arch and the ends, and central slabs 29, the same overlapping the upper edges of the side slabs 28 and resting upon the straight central surfaces of the ends and of the arch. The side and central slab constituting the top have upon their under surtions comprising the top.

faces transverse alining ribs or tongues 80 designed to be received in a groove 31 The construction and arrangement ofp'arts' is such that the casket maybe readily ar ranged in; the vault before the top is arranged thereon, and after the 'sections15 and 16 have been associated. The top sections, it will benoted, may be easily and 'quickly applied, and it is thought the simplicity and advantages of theconstruction will be apparent without furtherfdetailed description. I

- Having thus described the invention, what 7 we claim is: K r I 1.- A concrete vault 'COIHPIISIDg a hollow body and formed in two sections, the confronting ends of the said sect-ions having inter-engaging tongues and grooves, the ends projecting above the sides tof'provide surfaces inclined from the sides to the center and the said center being, straight, slabs comprising the top of the-vault and of a length equaling the length of the sections ,upon the outer surface of the arch 27. The

upon which they are arranged,'interengag+ ing tongues and grooves between the slabs comprising the top and the edges of the body upon whichthey rest, a removable arch seated in pockets inthe confronting sides of the body member and supporting the confronting ends" of the top slabs, and interengaging tongues and grooves at the said confronting ends of the top slabs.

2. A vault comprising a body and an arched top therefor, said vault constructed of associated slabs and comprising two sections, said sections, at the confronting ends thereof having interengaging tongues and grooves, the body sections at the'said confronting ends thereof, upon their inner faces being recessed from their upper edges, the sections comprising the top, at the confronting ends thereof having depending ribs, a' metallic arched-plate having its ends seated in the recessed portions of the body and contacting with the end surface of the confronting ends of the top sections, and saidarch having a groove receiving the mentioned depending tongues vof the sec- In testimony whereof we afiixour signatures;

, JAMES ELMORE'.

, CHARLES WL JOY,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by; addressing the- Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. G. 

